Rapid activation car window sign

Abstract

A removable car sign is provided for temporary installation on the inside face of the window of a car. A pneumatic bulb is placed conveniently near the driver's console. When the bulb is squeezed by the car driver it causes the sign to extend to an open position in which a message is visible from the outside of the car. When the bulb is released the sign returns to its closed position in which the message is not viewable. The message surfaces may be easily removed and replaced as one may desire.

I claim: 
     
       1. An externally viewable car sign for installation within an automobile, said sign comprising a first staff wing having a first message surface with at least a first portion of the message arranged thereon;   a second distaff wing having a second message surface with at least a second portion of a message arranged thereon;   a display standard;   a first hinge intermediate said display standard and said first wing for mounting said first staff wing hingedly thereto for pivotal motion relative to said display standard;   a second hinge intermediate a distal portion of said first staff wing and said second distaff wing for mounting said second distaff wing hingedly thereto for pivotal motion of said second distaff wing relative to first staff wing;   an actuator assembly for activation by a driver of said automobile to cause motion of said sign from said first position to said second position, comprising; a grip adjacent to and for operation by said driver for generating a signal;   a transducer for converting signals from said grip to motion of said first staff wing and said second distaff wing; and   a communication means intermediate said grip and said transducer for receiving signals from said grip and transmitting those signals to said transducer, whereby said driver can use said grip to move said sign from a first hidden position to a said second viewable position in which said message surface is externally viewable;     wherein said grip is a squeezable bladder, said communication means is a flexible tube, and said transducer means comprises an expansible bulb, whereby compression of said squeezable bladder causes expansion of said expansible bulb.   
     
     
       2. The externally viewable car sign of claim 1 wherein said actuator assembly is pneumatic. 
     
     
       3. The externally viewable car sign of claim 1 wherein said squeezable bladder is a hand bulb. 
     
     
       4. The externally viewable car sign of claim 1 wherein said squeezable bladder is operated by a foot pedal. 
     
     
       5. The externally viewable car sign of claim 4 in which in said first position of said first staff wing, and in said first position of said second distaff wing, said first message surface is in opposed abutting relationship to said second message surface whereby each of said first and second messages surfaces is hidden from view. 
     
     
       6. The externally viewable car sign of claim 4 comprising a strut having two ends, a first of said ends pivotally mounted to said display standard and a second of said ends mounted to said second distaff wing; said first end offset from said first hinge;   said display standard having a base member extending from said first hinge to said first end of said strut;   whereby in said second positions of said first staff, and said second distaff wings those wings are substantially co-planar and said wings are restrained by said strut to lie in a plane perpendicular to said base member.   
     
     
       7. The externally viewable car sign of claim 4 wherein said car sign comprises a return biasing device intermediate said base and one of a) said strut or b) said first staff wing, for urging said sign to said first, hidden position. 
     
     
       8. The externally viewable car sign of claim 4 wherein said sign comprises a plurality of wings and alternating hinges therebetween, said wings and hinges extensible from said display standard to a first extended position, and retractable to a second accordion folded storage position. 
     
     
       9. The externally viewable car sign of claim 4 wherein said expansible bulb comprising an inlet in fluid communication with said squeezable bladder through said communication means, said inlet restrained by a locating clip, and an extremity of said bulb detachably connected to said extensible member whereby expansion of said bulb causes said extensible member to move from a first, hidden position to a second, extended position. 
     
     
       10. The externally viewable car sign of claim 1 wherein release of said squeezable bladder causes said sign to return from said second, extended, visible position to said first, hidden, storage position. 
     
     
       11. The externally viewable car sign of claim 1 wherein said standard is removably mounted to a glass surface of said automobile by means of suction cups. 
     
     
       12. An externally viewable car sign for installation within an automobile, said sign comprising at least one message surface;   an extensible member movable from a first, hidden storage position in which said message surface is not visible, to a second, extended visible position in which said message surface is externally viewable;   a pneumatic actuator assembly for activation by a driver of said automobile to cause motion of said sign from said first position to said second position, comprising; a grip adjacent to and for operation by said driver for generating a signal;   a display standard upon which to mount said extensible member;   a transducer for converting signals from said grip to motion of said extensible member; and   a communication means intermediate said grip and said transducer for receiving signals from said grip and transmitting those signals to said transducer, whereby said driver can use said grip to move said sign from said first position to said second position;   a first staff wing;   a first hinge intermediate said display standard and said first wing;   said first staff wing hingedly mounted to said display standard for pivotal motion about said first hinge;   said first staff wing comprising a first message surface upon which at least a portion of said message for display has been arranged;   said first staff wing pivotally movable about said first hinge from said first position in which said first message surface is hidden from view, to said second, extended visible position in which said message surface is externally viewable;   a second distaff wing;   a second hinge intermediate said first staff wing and said second distaff wing;   said second distaff wing pivotally movable about said second hinge relative to said first staff wing;   said second distaff wing comprising a second message surface on which at least a portion of a message for display has been arranged;   said second distaff wing pivotally movable about said second hinge relative to said first staff wing from a first position in which said second message surface is hidden from view to a second, extended position in which said message is externally visible;     wherein said grip is a hand bulb, said communication means is a flexible tube, and said transducer means comprises an expansible bulb, whereby compression of said squeezable bladder causes expansion of said expansible bulb.   
     
     
       13. An externally viewable car sign for installation within an automobile, said sign comprising: a first staff wing having a first message surface with at least a first portion of a message arranged thereupon;   a second distaff wing having a second message surface with at least a second portion of a message arranged thereupon;   a display standard removably affixed to a glass surface of said automobile, said display standard comprising a base member having a first, strut mounting location, a second, transducer mounting location, and a third, return spring mounting location;   a first hinge intermediate said display standard and said first staff wing for mounting said first staff wing hingedly thereto for pivotal motion relative to said display standard;   a second distaff wing;   a second hinge intermediate a distal portion of said first staff wing and said second distaff wing for mounting said second distaff wing hingedly thereto for pivotal motion of said second distaff wing relative to said first staff wing;   a strut having two ends, a first of said ends mounted to said base at said strut mounting location, and the other of said ends mounted to said second distaff wing;   a return spring having a first end mounted to said base at said third, return spring mounting location and a second end mounted to one of a) said strut or b) said first staff wing, for biasing said first staff wing to a first, hidden position;   an actuator assembly comprising a first pneumatic bulb disposed adjacent a control console of said automobile, a communication tube, and a second pneumatic bulb;   said communication tube intermediate said first pneumatic bulb and said second pneumatic bulb and providing communication therebetween, the compression of said first bulb causing expansion of said second bulb;   said second bulb affixed to said base;   said second bulb comprising an inlet affixed to said communication means and a distal portion affixed to said first staff wing;   said sign movable from a first, hidden position to a second, viewable position;   whereby compression of said first bulb causes said sign to move from said first, hidden position to said second, viewable position, and subsequent release of said first bulb allows said return spring to urge said sign to return to said first, hidden position.